Ziras untold story
by HellmotherEva
Summary: Ziras life... Ahm... What should I say? It will be a pretty weird story, with too much of my fantasy... Oh, it will raining OC's, so be prepared... Parings: ScarxZira; ShenzixBanzai; EdxOC; MheetuxOC. And of course many OC's will follow. M in later chaps.
1. From four to one

Special Tanks to Tasha, my wonderful beta! (She isn't from FanFiction ^^) Without her this translation wouldn't be possible! :D

Thank you Tasha, thank you so much! :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<br>From four to one**

It was a hot day in the African Thorn Savannah, it was dry season and the animals had to deal with the shortage of water due to the drought. Despite the weather, Kisamba, a beautiful beige lioness with a black stripe that ran down her back, sat in the shadow cast by the acacia shrubs and tried to make the best out of the midday sun.

She propped her head on her paws as gazed at the area around her, her red eyes gleaming in the sun. It felt good sometimes to be alone, without the pride, just her and her cubs.

'Her cubs'... Hmm, she felt so incredibly proud when she said that. It was only a few months ago that she had given birth to her very first litter of cubs, two males and a female. She was so unbelievably happy and proud to be a mother. Not even the bitter fact that the father of her cubs had no interest in her or in his own cubs, had managed to tarnish her mood.

She began to remember the day when she had told him that she was pregnant. He just laughed and left her, but this no longer bothered her as these cubs gave more back to her than she could ever give them.

"I'm going to get you, I'm going to get you!" the voice suddenly pulled her out of her thoughts. A small, greyish-brown lion cub ran hastily behind his brother. "Never, Loser!" The other lion cub shouted back.

Kisamba smiled, cubs… were they not lovable? However, she sometimes had to intervene, "Tamu! Be nice to Serangi! Look at your sister. She is such a good girl, right Zira?" Kisamba asked as she looked down to the small cub between her legs, her daughter came running up. Zira, she was a sweetheart so much easier to handle than her brothers.

One day she would be a strong and powerful lioness, on this point Kisamba was very sure of. Tamu laughed devilishly, he looked a lot like his brother, only a dark spot on his forehead was able to distinguish them apart from each other. "Yes Mommy, you're right, I'm much sweeter than those two!" Exclaimed the little lioness as she nestled her head into the paws of her mother.

"Boys, it's too hot to run around, we still have the midday heat, we should all lay in the shade". Kisamba said seriously, squinting whilst the sun blinded her for a moment. She sank down in the shade. Zira immediately followed her mother and her brothers finally came running up to join them.

"I'm much faster than you, Tamu," boasted Serangi as he jumped on his mother's head. "No your not! Plus I'm a bit older than you!" Tamu chimed as he jumped up and down on his mothers back.

"Ouch! Tamu that hurt" Kisamba cried out in pain and clutched her claws into the ground. "Oh Mommy, you know them." Zira laughed and placed herself between the paws of her mother, "And now you will bath me!" Demanded the little lioness as she lifted her chin. "Well if you want, princess" Kisamba replied sarcastically.

Zira had a mind of her own, she always seemed so determined and accurate for her age. Kisamba now decided to dedicated her time to the bathing her daughter and began to lovingly make her clean.

Oh, how Zira loved bath time. It was good for making her feel sleepy and relaxed. There was nothing better in the world that was at least if you were a little lioness. After Kisamba had finished cleaning Zira, she gazed at Serangi, who was no longer on her head but was now clinging to her neck, as if she was planning something. "NO! Mom! I'm begging you! Anything but that!" He cried out and tried to escape but it was too late, Kisamba had caught him.

Serangi held his head tightly between his paws "MOM! Stop it! Watch my mane!" Spat Serangi as he frantically began to fidget. "Which mane?" Kisamba asked pertly. "MOM! I'll kill you, even if only a tuft of fur is missing!" Serangi yelled as loud as he could.

Zira rested with her brother Tamu on their mothers back. They laughed uncontrollably as they watched how Kisamba conducted the daily bathing-battle with her son. While she struggled to hold on to him, Serangi fought back with screaming, fidgeting and biting, but it didn't help. "That's it!" Kisamba finally said and then took an exhausted Tamu to be bathed. He was much easier to bathe than his brother and he clearly enjoyed it.

Actually Tamu was Ziras favourite brother he was not as annoying and fiery like Serangi. When Kisamba was finished with each of her cubs, she watched them all, as they slept next to her whilst they made smacking sounds with their jowls. "Sleep, That sounds like a good idea" muttered the lioness licking her cubs lovingly over the fur as she laid protectively beside them before she finally put her head on her paws and closed her eyes.

Suddenly… she began to smell something in the air. This smell... It was hard to describe, she rarely smelt it, that's why it was so distinctive, There was something out there, she was sure of it!

She sat up and listened, her ears drawn in one particular direction. The tension grew gradually and her instincts told her... Danger! She could smell the danger, but she didn't know what exactly this smell was, it was just too…strange.

But it still seemed to be so familiar, but from where? What the hell was that smell? Should she risk it and stay there? She was a brave lioness, but somehow the smell of danger, which seemed to be much stronger than that of a lion, made her afraid very quickly.

She had to take the safety of her cubs into mind, so what should she do? Kisamba quickly made a decision. "Children get up!" She exclaimed, jumping up as she frantically woke her cubs, panic spread across her face.

"What is it Mom?" Tamu asked sleepily. He was just having such a nice dream, that he did not want get up from. Which he found unfair! "Back to the pride…Now!" she said firmly, without giving any explanation. "Why?" Said Zira, half asleep as she looked around at her family. "No time to explain Zira! Go, Go!" Cried her mother as she walked ahead.

Serangi and Tamu had a problem keeping up with their mom, and Zira was still too tired to even run correctly.

"Not so fast!" she said tearfully, feeling the infectious anxiety, which spread through Kisamba. Something was wrong, which also Serangi and Tamu had noticed, but they did not dare to ask anything. Kisamba looked around frantically for her daughter and turned back shortly. "I'm sorry Zira, but you're too slow. Listen, you just wait here, in the bushes. When I have got your brothers back to the pride, I'll pick you up. And don't make a peep, promise me?"

"Yes Mom, I promise! I will not say a word. Mom..."

"Yes?"

"I love you." Zira said with a smile. She did not know why, but for some reason she had the sudden erg to tell her mother such a thing, without any reason. "I love you too Zira." Kisamba whispered lovingly as licked her daughter's face and snuggled into her head one last time.

Zira didn't know it, but that would be the last time she would see her mother…Forever. Kisamba ran quickly back to Tamu and Serangi who were still waiting restlessly on the trail. Zira heard the amused laughter of her brothers, as they rushed with their mother home. Yes, they had a nice laugh, a childlike, carefree laugh.

Although for Zira it was like her whole world had suddenly broken down. She heard a loud bang that startled her and she began to cry! Only a split second later, two more shots followed, which rang for a long time in the little lioness's ears. She was so scared and frightened that she did not really realize that everything was quiet again. It was as if nothing had happened, the shots were now so far away.

Zira could still not understand why she did that, but she stood up. Although her mother had forbidden her, she went into the direction from which the shots came.

She knew that she wasn't allowed to do that and she really should have been afraid, but her curiosity, the seduction of the forbidden was too strong. "Mom?" Zira whispered fearfully. Her voice broke after a few quiet meows. She knew that what she was doing was not allowed, but she felt she must.

Zira would have never imagined that the world was so big. Now that she was completely alone, the world was suddenly so huge…and threatening. Even the tall grass, through which she jumped, suddenly seemed to be the size of trees! Even though it was actually much smaller, when her mom was there, Zira carefully followed the weak smell of her mother through the grass and finally found what she was looking for.

What she saw there, would haunt Zira for the rest of her life. This horrible sight, this disgraceful death! And these men, what Zira saw was already too much for her young heart to handle.

Her mother was lying dead on the floor, close beside her lay Serangi and Tamu. It looked almost as if the two had been playing at the time of their death. They were smiling and Kisamba looked completely normal as if usual. She saw all three so normal, except from the bullet wounds in their shoulders. It had to have happened very quickly, although Zira did not know this. It was not in her interest either. She wasn't stupid she could see that all three were badly injured or worse.

The two men had guns in their hands. They did it! THEM! These men! If only Zira hadn't been so small and helpless, she swore to herself that she would have jumped at the throats of these murderers! She would have torn them into pieces, pulled out their hearts and ate them! But she was just a little cub. She didn't even eat meat, at least not that much.

Zira did not even understand at first, that her mother was dead. She thought she was asleep. She thought they are all asleep.

She thought!

The men, where probably poachers and without any hesitation, they began to cut off Kisambas claws, teeth and her tail tuft. They would sell what they collected, for a large sum of money. For poaching was an easy way for man to make money if they needed it, to live and to survive. They also chopped off the paws from the two shot cubs. More 'products' that could be made out of them.

Zira saw everything, as fast as the men came, was as fast as they fled. Very slowly Zira realized what had just happened. They had killed her family, They had destroyed Ziras life! Tears quickly fell, Zira sobbed and ran to her mother and wrapped her paws around her head.

"Mom! Stand up, please!" pleaded Zira as she pounded her little paws on her mother. No reaction. Well, maybe Serangi or Tamu could still be saved! "Boys, stand up! Mommy... She is hurt... We... We need to take care of her" whimpered Zira, the tears cutting off her words as they didn't move. They too were dead.

Zira tried to talk a few more words, but the huge pools of blood, which where around them, frightened her. She looked to her paws and realized that she stood in the blood of her own mother.

No… She can't! She can't stay in her mother's blood! Her mother was so big and strong, she can't die! She can't… right?

Completely scared and with tears in her eyes, Zira clung onto the ground. She tried not to cry out loud, that would be her death. She tried to be strong, but she still cried, like a little helpless cub, that had nothing in her life any longer.

The hours passed like minutes. Zira had hidden herself between the clawless paws of her mother, because she feared that the men would come back. But they didn't, they were gone. It was now dark.

Kisamba was so cold, they were all so cold! It made Zira so afraid. She was very frightened. What if now, the hyenas and jackals come? They would kill Zira, wouldn't they?

She whimpered quietly and tugged on Kisambas fur, but she showed no reaction. Zira just listened into the night, in the hope that she would survive the next day or at least this the night.

Suddenly a noise caught her attention and her heart began to beat a thousand times faster. The blood rushed to her head as she tried to breathe as quietly as possible. "Oh ... That can't be true! Not another one and this time one with cubs" There was a pause and someone seemed to scan Kisambas' feet and opened her mouth.

"Yes, they are the same they only take the teeth and claws, the rest they left to the vultures." Then it was quiet again. Zira had squeezed herself between Kisambas front legs and her chest. Silent tears flowed down Ziras face.

What type for an animal this was, Zira had smelled it before. This was the thing that had killed her mother! The 'animal', which was a human, had now looked at Tamus' and Serangis' cadavers and blinked away a few tears when she saw the bloodied cubs.

She stood up and sighed. Here she could do nothing more. Damn, she would finally have been able to catch those damn poachers, if she only was earlier! She was just about to go, but then she wanted to see again the bullet wound of the lioness. She put on two disposable gloves and touched the shoulder of the lioness extensively. She was already quite stiff and cold, since her death, hours had passed.

Then the woman began to carefully touch Kisambas chest, she groped more and more deeply, then she suddenly stopped and pulled her hand away in shock. She had clearly felt something warm, she was sure of it! Gently, almost hesitantly, she went on her knees and grabbed a second time at the point between the front legs and the chest. There it was! Something soft and warm lay there. The woman looked closer and stared at a stunned Zira.

"Oh honey. Did they not catch you?" The woman spoke softly and quietly to Zira. "Oh baby, your mom can't take care of you now, Come here sweetheart." She spoke softly

Zira put her front paws over her eyes. True to the motto: If I can't see you, you also can't see me! But that didn't work. "Hey baby... Do not worry, I'm here. I'm Linda, sweetheart." Aha, so the woman was called Linda. She looked at the dead lions, lying at her feet. "She was your mommy and these were your siblings, right?"

The woman looked seriously sad, even Zira could see a tearful glint in her eyes. But she didn't understand; the woman was a human. She was made to kill, so why did she want to help Zira? Humans were meant to be evil! Meant to be? "Oh baby... Come here. I'll take care of you".

Lovingly and carefully Linda took Zira, who did not even defend herself anymore, in her arms and walked with the terrified cub through the evening twilight to a strange, big thing, a car.

"I'll take care of you, little one. As long as you are with me, nobody will hurt you, I promise." Linda whispered lovingly and tried to soothe the shaking cub.

Zira was too tired to even respond. She had cried so much today that she had got, in the meantime a headache a very bad headache. And she was tired, she was so incredibly tired! It was a long, exhausting and hard day for her. Even if she wanted to stay awake she felt like she couldn't, she pressed herself against Linda's warm body and closed her eyes. She felt Linda's quiet breathing and even felt safe.

Although Zira knew that this was the most horrible day of her life and she had no idea what this human, this Linda, would do with her. Zira just felt too tired and exhausted to stay awake. The horrors of the day were simply too much for this little cub.


	2. Dogs

So, here it is :3 (Special thanks to my wonderful Beta! Tasha, thank you for everything!) And yes, I know, strange story, but it will be more TLK-Like in later chapters.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<br>Dogs**

When Zira woke up the next morning, she found herself in a transportation box, like the ones used for cats, only larger. She was wrapped in a white blanket and in one corner stood a small bowl of fresh water. When Zira looked beside her, she saw a heat pad that was hidden between the blankets to give her warmth.

However, Zira was in immense distress. Everything looked strange, everything smelled strange, everything was strange and Zira was all alone. Her mummy was dead and her brothers too! She had nobody anymore! Why was the world suddenly so harsh to her?  
>A desperate cry escaped her throat as she remembered the events of yesterday. She beat her paws on her eyes and prayed that she would wake up immediately.<p>

If she was to open her eyes now, she was back with her mum and her brothers... then everything was normal again. Almost scared she opened her eyes again and a desperate sob escaped her, she was still in the box. But how was this possible? Why had she still not awoken from this nightmare? It had to be a nightmare, this couldn't be her reality?

Not much time remained for Zira to think about this question, as suddenly a figure appeared on the boxes grid. "Well... Good morning little one, already awake?" A female voice asked. Frightened and with tears in her eyes Zira stared at the figure which stood in front of the grill. This wasn't a human… and it wasn't a lion... that was… Zira didn't know.  
>She had never seen such a weird animal, it smelled very strange and it looked totally… weird. It looked a bit like a hyena, but much thinner, hairy, bigger and brighter. It had a long snout and two slightly hairy, floppy ears.<p>

Zira whined, scared and looked submissive in the stranger's eyes. "Hey, little one... Don't worry; I will not hurt you." The animal spoke soothingly to her. "I'm Chica, and you?" She asked carefully. Zira still said nothing and just squeezed herself in the darkest corner of the box. This "Chica" scared her, she was so strange and large... Just fearsome. "Hey little one… You don't have to be afraid of me. Ahm… Do you perhaps want to know my friend? He's also a dog... But you're a lion, huh?" Zira nodded and swallowed forcefully as she tried to hold back the tears. "Ah... I was right, you are a lion..." The dog lay down in front of the box and watched Zira with a smile. "You have slept very long, you know?"  
>Zira shook her head again and suddenly she let out a sob. "Where is Mummy?" She whimpered whilst still scared.<p>

Chica sighed and cocked her head. Why she was just surprised by this question?  
>"Your mum is ... away." Chica finally answered quietly. "We take care of you until she comes back." She added immediately.<p>

"When will she comes back?" Zira said almost in tears.

"We do not know." Replied Chica, Zira dropped her head and let the held back tears flow.

"But I want ... I want my family!" She cried out loudly.

"Psssst! Little one, be quiet, calm down." Said Chica comforting, a moment later, however, she startled stand up.  
>"Chica, go away! You must not go there!" Shouted a voice that Zira knew already, it was this human, Linda. Who command the dog, the dog jumped up and disappeared. "This dog... you'll like her, believe me." Linda said, giggling, and opened the door to Ziras' box.<p>

She reached in and took the little lioness carefully out. Zira did not even dare to defend herself; to big was the fear of punishment. Maybe if she just did nothing, then perhaps she would be spared. "Well, little one, you're finally awake... I was really afraid you would die too." Linda patted Ziras head gently and sat her on a table.  
>Zira didn't like it, she didn't like it at all! The table was smooth, she slipped away when she extended her claws and it was ice cold. Zira dared not to even move just layed there.<p>

She couldn't even hide here! But perhaps nobody would notice her if she didn't move. "So little lioness… Now we will take a look to see how you are." Linda said quietly and scanned Ziras body. But the pulse of the little lioness was racing and she whimpered with fear. The blood rushed to her head and her legs were tense. _Just don't make a stupid move, then you will live longer_, Kisamba had always said to her. "So Little one... Hmm, it seems you are physically okay." Linda finally said. She ruffled Ziras head and then quickly took the cub in her arms. "You are still a bit too thin... Oh little one, what should I do with you? I've never had raised a wild animal, I only care for their injuries." Linda's voice swung a little desperately, but then she suddenly began to leave that cold place, in which Zira was until now, and walked into another room. It wasn't so cold and bright as the previous room, on the walls were strange boxes of wood, Zira could not describe it, and in the middle stood some strange, black surface– Short: She was in a kitchen.

Linda sat Zira down on a work surface and fiddled with something on the stove. But Zira felt overwhelmed by this kind of space. There was so much stuff in such a confined space, that all seemed far too large for her. "So sweetheart… Oh, look, food!" Linda took her in her arms and sat on a chair. "Come on honey, try this again." She took Ziras' mouth between two fingers and so held Ziras head as she tried to get the bottle into her mouth.

She had once fed her little niece years ago with as a baby, a bottle but never a lion cub and only to clarify one thing: Zira was a tough one. As much as Linda tried, she just couldn't open Ziras mouth, but she had to eat something, It had surly been almost a day since she had anything to eat! And she needed it, she was so young and small, much more susceptible to diseases. "Come on, come on, you have to eat at least something! Come on little one, please, open your mouth." Linda made countless attempts but Zira always avoided the bottle.

She was scared, although she felt so exhausted, she was sure that she would never open her mouth! NEVER! Certainly they would poison her! Exactly! They wanted to kill her, yes, that was it!

Linda sighed annoyed and dropped a little bit of the milk substitute on her finger, then she held it in front of Ziras snout. "Come on my little one, try this at least some, one bit? Come on try some, only this one time…" As tempting as this stuff smelled, Zira, clenched her jaw. No, she was not allowed to be poisoned, never!

"Oh little one... Please, I beg you!" Linda pleaded and poured the milk again over her finger. But this time she was a bit rougher and just stuck her finger into Ziras mouth. Zira was so surprised that she didn't respond at first, but then she angrily bit into Linda's finger.

But this was not impressive. Ziras teeth were still very blunt and small, it did not hurt too much. "Oh please, was that so bad? You must drink it now, come on, you can," Linda said and pressed the bottle now much rougher in Ziras mouth and now Zira was angry, very angry! She didn't want all this, but it didn't seem that Linda understood it! Well, who can't hear must feel!

Annoyed Zira bit into Linda's finger, this time leading her to a startled "Ow!", but at the same moment Zira felt something rubbery in her mouth. Great! Now Linda had still managed to push the bottle inside her muzzle. Although Zira tried to spit it out, she suddenly began to suckle, when the first drops of milk were in her mouth, she began to drink greedily the whole bottle until it was empty. She wanted to resist, but somehow the temptation was too big in the end.

"Oh finally, you get it!" Linda finally said satisfied and petted Zira on the back. "Was that so bad?" Linda took Zira again into her arms and walked into another room and suddenly a whole slew of new smells came towards Zira. Terrified; she lay her ears back and pressed herself into Linda's chest for protection. "Ahw, don't tell me you are afraid! You bite me two times and now you are afraid of some dogs? Come on, I will introduce you to you two new friends, I'm pretty sure you will like them." Zira glanced unsure over Linda's arm and saw the big, white bitch from earlier again. And she saw Zira. "Hey, hello little one..." Said the dog with a big smile and came over to Linda. "Well Chica, look what I have here..."

Linda bent down and took Zira in front of Chicas' nose. But the little lioness shivered with fear all over her body and closed her eyes in fear of being eaten. "Hey... Little one, don't be afraid, I will not hurt you, really! I do not eat babies, in addition I already had something to eat." Chica said with a calm, warm voice and sniffed Zira. "Keep cool sweetheart. No one wants to hurt you here."

"R… Really?" Zira asked suspiciously and clutched into Linda's knees.

"Yes really. Hey, do you perhaps want to know my friend? Maybe we all can be friends then." Chica said with a smile.

"Uh... uh... okay... But you will not eat me, will you?"  
>"No, definitely not. We get food from Linda, we don't have to hunt." Reassured by the Afghan again and then she ran to the corridor. A few moments later another dog entered the room but he was smaller than Chica. His fur was sand-yellow and he had a big brown patch on his back, which went to his tail tip. The dog had much shorter fur than Chica, he was a male and his ears were not as long as Chicas either. He was also clumsier than the elegant Afghan hound. "Look little one, that's him" Chica introduced the Labrador "Jerk."<p>

Zira glanced at the two dogs uncertain and then she looked again at Linda, but she always keeping an eye on Zira and the dogs. Linda really wanted to leave Zira and the dogs alone to play, but it was still too early for Zira, to stay alone with Chica and Jerk. "Hi sweetheart... Well, I'm Jerk ..." The new dog just giggled. "And you? What's your name?"  
>Zira said nothing and looked rather confused and overwhelmed to the dogs, but then she turned around and pressed her head against Linda's belly, whimpering.<br>"Ahw... Well my dear, are you tired?" Linda asked, standing up. "Come on, maybe you should sleep."

Chica was still sitting in the living room that evening while Jerk ate his dinner in the kitchen. Chica had no real appetite, and so she laid on her blanket, which was in a corner of the living room. This little lioness made her worry. She seemed so sad and scared and Chica really wanted to help her. Maybe Chica could find out something about her, after all she was a very… smart dog, even if she did not always show it, she was just very stubborn.  
>To be honest Linda was a good person. She cared lovingly for her dogs and always done the funniest things. Okay, it was true: Linda was very chaotic, but it was this chaos Chica liked it so much, it always kept her and Jerk busy. In the morning the dogs were always allowed to stray through the area. But to be honest, the two are never moved very far from home and came back after not more than one hour.<p>

The dogs were on their own for a few hours a day, but they could go in the garden anytime, so they did not care a lot, when they were alone - after all they had each other.  
>Linda worked at any research project, with other scientists and met with them almost every day; once in the city and sometimes in the savannah. Actually Linda and her dogs were from London, but they stayed here for a few years. The evening was Chicas' favourite time: It was much cooler than at day time and Linda was also much more relaxed, they also all got food.<p>

At that moment Jerk trotted into the living room and fell onto his blanket beside Chica.  
>"I feel sorry for this cub… It seemed so scared, right?" He said.<p>

"I think she has lost her family." Chica said seriously. "Oh... Well, why are we surprised? Linda doesn't normally take strange lion cubs in." at that moment Linda came in from her bedroom and slipped through the corridor. "Huh, she's taking a shower! This is my chance, I want to find out some more about the cub."

"But Chica, we are not allowed in the bedroom, you know that!" Jerk interrupted her.

"I don't care, as long as Linda knows nothing about, it is not so bad." The white Afghan bitch jumped up, walked over to Linda's bedroom door, stood on her hind legs and pressed down the latch. She had done this many times, but nobody knew about it... Except Jerk, but he couldn't say anything.

Then she entered the darkened room, only through the window fell the lukewarm light of the moon and the stars. "Oh… Sweetheart " Chica said in a calm, warm tone. Zira, which was provisionally set by Linda in a laundry basket, had meanwhile climbed out and sat on the windowsill, which was over Lindas bed and was staring dreamily at the stars. She winced when she saw the huge dog and her fur stood up on her back. Chica just sat down beside her and looked to the stars. Somewhere at the horizon she could see the city lights. A city in the thorn savannah... Pointless, right? "Well, little one... The stars are beautiful tonight..." Chica whispered finally to break the silence. Zira looked down and nodded silently. "Say, what's your name? I'm sure if you have good manners you will tell me your name, right?"

Zira paused for a moment, but then she quietly said "Zira... My mummy gave me this name."

"Really? Zira... Strange name... But she loved you, right?"

"OF COURSE! How can you say that she didn't love me? You stupid, heartless mutt!" Zira suddenly snarled angry. She was completely shocked, did Chica really assume, that her mom hadn't loved her? This stupid bitch!

"I didn't say that. I just wanted to tell you what your name means." Chica said immediately and tried to calm the appalled lioness.

"Oh… And what does it mean?" Zira asked, Okay now, she was curious.

"Hate."

Zira stopped – hate? Was this really the meaning of her name? Hate? But why would Kisamba give her this name? Why did Kisamba hate Zira? "Does that mean... she didn't love me?" Zira whimpered shocked. This terrible thought was stuck in her head now.

"HEY! I'm did not say THAT! Who said that? I told you only the meaning of your name. You know: Parents don't often think about it when they give their children names. My name mean, girl', it's not very revealing. I know I'm a girl, so what? You see, not every name has a reference to those who wear it. No one is saying that your mother hated you... I'm sure she was a wonderful mother... Whe– Where is she now?"

"Dead." This word was more overwhelming to Zira than anything else in her short life. She had to admit it... Mummy wasn't here anymore. "I'm so sorry Zira." Chica went to her and laid her head on the window sill. Zira reached whimpering by the head of the bitch clutching her little paws around Chicas neck. Even though she recently was really afraid of Chica, she needed now someone to give her shelter, someone who would comfort her and was there for her. And this big, white, nice bitch was the only one in the room anyway.  
>"Why is she dead?" Zira cried and pressed her face against Chicas neck. Tears rolling down her cheeks and she cried desperately.<p>

"Zira… Some things just happen and you can't do anything against it. I know how you feel now."

"No, you don't!" Zira interrupted her.

"I do. My mother died of tetanus. There I was maybe a little older than you but you have to know that everything comes to an end, and sometimes too soon."

"And why did my brothers die and not I? We were all still so young, Mom wasn't old, we were her first litter..."

"You know... that's destiny. Everyone is able to change his destiny, but your mother wanted to know that you and your brothers were safe. That was a perfectly normal and correct instinct. She did this, what every good mother would do."

"But that's not fair! They were so young!" Zira whimpered.

"You know, sometimes life isn't fair. Life can even be quite unfair. But you must work hard to stay on the top."

"But how can I get them all back?" Zira whimpered and wiped the tears on Chicas fur. She sniffed and then looked at the lights of the city. "What's that?"

"This is a city. Many people live there. But little cubs like you have not yet gone there." Chica said. "Sometimes Linda goes out there too." She added.

"Oh. Okay." Zira sniffed and looked at the stars.  
>"Hey, look... Can you see these three stars?" Chica asked suddenly.<p>

"Yes. What's wrong with them?" Sniffed Zira.

"You know... When we die we go to a better place. Then we shine in the night sky as a star. We all are of course not forever stars, this is only symbolic, so that we don't forget those who we loved, and remember that they are still here... Even beyond death. Well, you know, when someone we loved dies, then they watch you from there. And who knows... Now you have perhaps already three guardians, who have you in mind all the time."

Chica gave her best to sound optimism and cheerfulness. She didn't want that this little, innocent young lion cub cried anymore. No, she really didn't want it. She knew how hard it was for herself when her own mother died.

When Zira still said nothing, Chica went on "Please don't worry, yes? You know, YOUR life goes on and that's important right now. You can grieve, of course, but then you have to continue your life again. Please. We all will care for you, like a family. I know we are just dogs and a human but you'll see: You will feel like you're at home."

"Chica, how will this work?" Zira finally said sadly. Chica smiled. "Linda will be the best substitute mother you can imagine. I promise, and I and Jerk will be something like your siblings, your playmates. I promise you little one: As long as you have us three around you, nothing bad will happen to you." Chica said optimistically.

"We… I like you already." She glanced over at the lioness to see her reaction.

"I like you too Chica... But… None of you are a lion. You can't even feed me."

"Yes, but Linda has her tricks. She's a human, they can do everything." Chica said half jokingly, half seriously. "Trust us. And… oh umm… hey, she did save you. So she must like you, right?"  
>"Hmm... all right." Zira shrugged "You... So you'll definitely take care for me? Really?" Zira questioned<p>

"Yes. Really!" Chica assured the lion cub. "I have to go back now, We'll see you tomorrow little one." Chica said soothingly

"Good night." Zira replied.


	3. Ear tags

What would I do without my beta? Okay, this chapter isn't that interesting, we only "learn" something about Ziras ear… (ooohw, how… boring xD)

**KShara Khan:** Thanks for commenting! :D Yeah, it's really sad. I know somebody personally, Maya (she's biologist) and she is every year a few months in South Africa. She already told me a lot storys of Africa, it must really be beautiful, but she also said that poachers are a big problem in many countries.

**graywolf95:** OMG! :D Thank you so much! I loved it to read your story, and I'm sorry that I answer your comment so late, buuuut… my beta ;D Anyway, I'm so glad that you like it! I'm still unsure if this story will work, the idea is so strange… But in the next chapter we will at least meet two TLK-Characters… Anyway, thank you so much for your comment! It's a bit hard for me to translate the chapters and I and my beta have sometimes misunderstandings (stupid german language) but somehow it still works. ;D

**Chapter 3  
>Ear tags<br>**  
>Only a few seconds after Chica left the bed room, Linda entered it. She was wearing white pyjamas and sat down on her bed. "Hey little one, how are you now? And how did you get up on the windowsill?" She asked and set Zira on her lap. Zira looked sceptically at Linda, who had another one of those bottles with her. But Zira wouldn't fight this time so energetically against it – And so it was.<br>When she was finished and Linda petted her a bit, she noticed how tired she was – Very tired, and while she was laying in Linda's arms she suddenly realized that it felt like being between her mother's paws. The body warmth, the feeling of safety... it was so... comforting. "Sleep now, sweetheart." Linda said lovingly, setting Zira back into the basket and placed it beside her bed. Then Linda hopped into bed went to sleep. But in a few hours she had to get up anyway and give Zira something to eat, however, this would be over soon, because after Linda's estimates, Zira was soon old enough to eat meat. While Linda slept blissfully, Zira just couldn't manage to close her eyes, without thinking of her family.

Her mother, her brother… It was horrible. The thought of her mother as she lay covered in blood, roused the urge to scream in Zira. This sight was disgusting, so disgusting, that she wished she could be able to throw up and to have never seen these images. Her brothers, without paws... Disfigured and crippled. These men… They… they just cut their paws off. They had taken her mother's teeth and claws, so that she had bled from the wounds.  
>She had her own blood in her muzzle. Who would do such things? And most importantly… why? Why did Zira deserve all this pain? She could never forget this scene, never! It brought tears in her eyes and so she clutched herself into her blanket until Linda woke up from her crying.<p>

"He, little one… Don't cry, come here." She reached for Zira, laid her on her lap and began to cradle her reassuringly, "I do not know if it helps, but I know a little lullaby... Just listen, maybe you fall asleep of boredom" Linda giggled shortly and soothingly stroked Ziras' fur "Sleep, my little lion, sweet dreams can't be wrong… One day when the time have passed, you'll be big and strong..." Linda sang quietly the words, constantly humming the same melody before she stopped and put the now sleeping Zira back into her basket.

To be honest, Linda felt so terribly sorry for her but no matter how terrible the time would be for Zira, she would get over it. Linda looked at the little lioness for a while through the darkness, wondering about this dorsal stripe on the lion cubs forehead. It was unusual because it ran only up to the shoulders. "Well then sleep well my little fighter. I know that's you'll make it."

The next morning Linda woke up early on and was preparing the substitute milk for Zira. She almost tripped over Chica and Jerk, who claimed the entire kitchen floor for themselves. Annoyed Linda rubbed her temple. "Guys, not early in the morning – I had a long night," she murmured and took the bottle. Zira was now awake too and could hardly wait for her next meal.

But after she was full, Linda stood before the next problem: Where should she put Zira? She was at the age when little lions want to discover the world.

She couldn't stay the whole day in a basket and Linda didn't have time to take care of her, she had to meet with her colleagues and by the way, perhaps, even to provide an injured wild animal. There remained only one alternative: The dogs. Although Linda didn't like the idea of leaving Zira the whole day alone with two chaotic dogs, she had no other choice.  
>All right: She picked Zira up and called the dogs to her. The Afghan was casually trotting while Jerk came up in his goofy waddling. Immediately the dogs looked curiously at Zira, which watched them with wide, suspicious eyes. She already knew Chica and wasn't so afraid of her like yesterday but she still felt not very comfortable in the presence of the dogs.<p>

In this moment Jerk barked curious and Chica wagged her tail. "I can try it this once..." murmured Linda and sat Zira on the floor. Jerk immediately rushed up to her and sniffed at her curiously. Zira was tense and she still had a great fear of Jerk, because she didn't know him. Chica, she was already familiar with, but the other dog was a stranger to her and now he sniffed her from top to bottom - That was anything but pleasant.

"That's enough" snapped Chica at her pal and finally pushed him away from Zira "Don't show him attention, he can't do anything for his stupidity."

"I am Jerk!" Said the Labrador, his tongue hanging out of his mouth and panting loudly before him, how it seemed, he ignored Chicas comment.

"Yeah, and he acts like one." Chica added.

"Now always." Jerk giggled.  
>"Yeah, when you think so…" Chica looked smiling down at Zira and glanced at Linda, who seemed pretty relived that the dogs didn't hurt Zira. On the contrary, especially Chica seemed to like the little lioness a lot – enough to leave the three alone.<p>

"Very good. And now just play around and look after her" Linda patted her dogs and walk into the kitchen "The little one still gets her mark." But the last sentence was too quiet, as the others could heard it.

After the dogs got their food and Zira got a small bottle with milk on a place where the dogs couldn't reach it, Linda left the house. She would be away for a few hours. The dogs knew it from experience because Linda took the car keys and when Linda wasn't there it was pretty funny! Jerk and Zira played the whole time, play little fighting games but Zira lost the whole time anyway. But Zira actually had fun, she even managed to think not about her family, at least for a short while.

At the end of this day Zira was totally exhausted, but Linda was glad that she had found two nannies for the little lioness and glanced with a thankful look to the dogs which were laying tired on their blankets.

"Oh man, thank you two…" She said and took Zira. But she didn't even noticed it because she was already asleep. Linda walked through the kitchen to the room in which Zira woke up yesterday. It was this bright, cold room, which was much too sterile and white for Ziras' liking. Linda set Zira on the table in the middle of the room and took out a device that was used to give lambs ear tags.

"Okay, I really hope you sleep deep enough…" Linda pleaded. And then it happened very quickly – One stitch and Zira had a little, perfectly round hole in her right ear. With a fast move Linda pushed a metal ring through it and she was already finished and that was it. Indeed Zira woke up but she didn't realize the pain in the first moments. But when she smelled the blood she immediately become suspicious and touched her ear. And there was… blood. There was truly blood! Where the ear tag was, was truly blood, Zira bled!

"What the…" She murmured and looked shocked to her paw where the blood stuck. The pain was very dull, she almost didn't realize but the longer Zira did nothing, the stronger she felt the pain.

"Hey, it isn't that bad." Linda said with a smile and she patted Ziras head gently "Come on, it can't hurt that much. You're such a strong, brave little lioness, yes you are! This little marking can't be so horrible, right?" But Zira didn't really care for what Linda was saying because she tried to keep calm and not become panicked.  
>Blood… BLOOD! It should go away! Why was it there, why did it hurt at this spot? And what was this strange thing in her ear?<p>

"Hey, don't cry, it will heal soon." Linda soothe her and took her in her arms "Oh, come on, I really think you should go to sleep now. And this ear tag will not hurt you."

Oh, she was so wrong…

In the following weeks Zira needed lesser milk and she finally began to eat more meat. She slept together with the dogs and had probably, the most carefree time of her life. Her day was only full of eating, sleeping and playing.  
>In the 'garden', the fenced plot, with acacia and a few bushes, behind the house, she spent her time the best. She just loved it to run over the place, although she knew that Chica was much faster than her. But it was still fun and Jerk was there too. And he was a much better playmate for Zira than the afghan.<p>

And Zira remembered when she felt grass for the first time after weeks again under her paws – It was awesome. This great feeling, when she felt and smelled the grass and the earth again and when she climbed the tree. It was just… fun. Oh, yes a lot of fun! Especially because the others couldn't follow her, it was HER own place! She wasn't as good in climbing than for example a leopard, but she could do it – And she was very proud!  
>But in the last weeks it became increasingly difficult for her. As taller she got, the harder it was to climb.<p>

The best time of the day was the evening, when the sun sank down to the earth and let the sky shine in orange and red. And at one evening she and the dogs were allowed to stay out longer. The stars have blasted, one brighter than the other, and involuntarily Zira had to think about Chicas story.

And when Zira was thinking about her family, she suddenly broke out into tears and snuggled herself to Jerk. She hoped so bad that she maybe forgot the whole story with her mother and brothers, but she still couldn't forgot the pictures of this day. Chica, who was sitting next to her and Jerk, reinsured Zira that everything was okay and her family was alright. Zira asked her how she knew that and Chica answered that it just have to be so. 'The good die young' she said.

The weeks flew by and if you have a very good time, then it goes always faster than you want it. Zira was growing in the meantime; yes, she was taller, she was so tall, that she almost reached Jerks shoulder.  
>Through the food she was receiving, she grew well and also put on weight. Linda almost couldn't believe that this was really the thin cub she had found a few months ago. Sometimes her arms even began to ache when she hold Zira too long. But Zira wasn't fat! She was, although she was getting enough food, still thin.<p>

And slowly, as more time went by the less Zira mourned for her family. But this did not mean that Zira didn't miss them, she just tried to hide it in front of the others.

But sometimes, when she lay alone on her blanket, she cried. One time Chica even woke her up, because she was crying in her dream. Some people say that time heals every wound… But it still leaves scars. Zira was still far away from getting over it. Maybe she would never forget it because she doesn't want to forget it.

"So sweethearts, I have to go, I got a call, there is an injured rhinoceros." Linda said when she left the house this morning. Why she did tell them this anyway? Was there any sense? They didn't understand her anyway, why did she always speak so extensively with them? Well she had always been something peculiar, so speaking with animals was no exception.  
>The garden door was, as always, a bit open so that Zira and the others could get out there if they were bored.<br>"And don't make any trouble!" Linda said when she closed the door.

"Whaaat? We? Trouble? Never!" Jerk giggled and looked with a naughty smile to Zira "Right?"  
>"Haha! We? NO!" She said sarcastically and jumped towards Jerk. Jerk and Zira began to roll, stifle into each other, around the house and crashed into tables, almost overturning shelves and ran into wardrobes.<p>

"STOP IT!" Chica barked hysterically but nobody showed her attention "You act like stupid, little, immature cubs! More discipline!" She growled angry but noticed soon that it was senseless to say something against two knuckleheads like Jerk and Zira. Here only deeds help.

Chica sighted annoyed because she hate it when she had to intervene somewhere. She wasn't somebody who likes to intervene somewhere personally but it really had to be done… for her own sake. She grabbed Zira by her neck and pulled her away from Jerk – and then it happened: Jerk was totally unprepared for the sudden tearing away of his playmate and slammed against the bookshelf.

One moment it really looked like the shelf was going to fall down, but luckily 'only' one big stack books fell out – this was good.

But it fell on Chica – This was bad. VERY bad.

And for one moment it looked like she wasn't able to move until…

"ARE YOU CRAZY!" She yelled hysterically and jumped towards Jerk and Zira, who tried to hide herself under Jerks belly.

"Chica…"

"Don't look at me this way!" She shouted and looked desperate to the stack books which lay all over the floor "GO! Just go away, both of you! You're so annoying and disturbing, I will tidy this alone! And I warn you: If I have to see one of you one more time today… You know that I'm much faster than you both put together…" Chica was so enraged that Jerk knew that one wrong word would be enough to bring her to a complete disengagement.

And Jerk knew his friend long and good enough to know that, if she was really aggressive and angry, you wouldn't even mess with her in your wildest dreams! She could fight not that bad. And she bite without thinking about the consequences. She was in such moments ready to destroy everything around her, even if she would hurt herself.

"We better should go Zira, in moments like this you should better not cross Chicas way… At least if you want to keep your fur on your body." Jerk whispered and chased Zira for safety sakes in the corridor.

"Yes, of course…" Zira said subdued "But why she's suddenly so evil?"

"No, she isn't evil, only angry… and unforgiving. Believe me, Chica is very unforgiving."

"Oh… She isn't our friend anymore?"

"No, nonsense… She will be okay again… But not yet… Let's go."

"Uh… Jerk?" Zira put her head askew in amazement "We have to go through the living room when we want to go in the garden…"

"Who says that we have to go into the garden?" Said Jerk deviously and opened the front door with his snout.


End file.
